Stories from the people that make Cambridge University unique.

The social scientist who inadvertently became a poet

25 March 2022

At the age of thirteen Mona Jebril found herself stranded in Gaza, becoming a refugee for the second time in her life. Her talent and determination brought her to Cambridge where she became the first Gates Cambridge Scholar from the Gaza Strip. She completed her PhD in education in 2017. Today she is using the arts to give a voice to those in areas of conflict.

The Crimean Tatar who wants freedom for Ukraine to sing again

18 May 2023

Displaced journalist and scholar Elmaz Asan arrived in Cambridge from Ukraine in October 2022. She sees her research as a chance to fight back...

The poetry scholar, the Black Atlantic and the Trembling Hand

13 Mar 2023

Mathelinda Nabugodi investigates the impact of colonialism and the slave trade on Romantic poets. Her research has taken her into the archives with...

The Classicist who wants the ancient world to have a radical future

22 Feb 2023

Mary Beard says the Greeks and Romans have more to say about modern society than we might think. A new set of films, aimed at teenagers whose schools...

The naturalist with autism named on the 2023 New Year Honours

30 Jan 2023

Dara McAnulty is an award-winning author and environmental campaigner. In December 2022 he was awarded a BEM for services to nature and the autistic...

The therapist encouraging students to reach out

07 Nov 2022

Christopher Haylock, Head of the University Counselling Service (UCS), is transforming the service to ensure it provides the best possible support to...

The “zero-chance” doctor who now advises government

19 Oct 2022

Growing up on free school meals at one of the lowest performing state schools in the country, Raghib Ali went on to become a leading epidemiologist...

The PhD student encouraging young Black aspiring scientists to claim their place

30 Aug 2022

When PhD student Sigourney Bell turned to Twitter to connect with other Black scientists, she could never have guessed that this would be the...

The doctor turned detective investigating the imprints of cancer

15 Aug 2022

Self-confessed ‘nerd’ Serena Nik-Zainal went from hospital wards to the laboratory on a mission to provide patients with the best possible treatment...

The photographer sharing the secrets of rare manuscripts

05 Jul 2022

When Amélie Deblauwe cycled to work on 21 June 2019 she had no idea that by lunchtime she’d be in A&E and not leave the hospital for five weeks...

The psychiatrist who faced a dilemma but couldn’t turn his back on his people

23 May 2022

Children in West Africa with cognitive difficulties are going undiagnosed because the tests used to assess their mental health are based on Western...

The PhD student who wants to change the way we think about food

04 May 2022

When Gates Cambridge Scholar Clara Ma participated in the Veganuary challenge she didn’t realise it would change the course of her PhD. Today she’s...

The chemist who saved a restaurant and launched a vision for Africa

13 Jan 2022

David Izuogu’s ambition is to establish a research institute in his home country of Nigeria. But he isn’t waiting until he realises his goal to help...

This Cambridge Life